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As preparations gather momentum for the third anniversary of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that major infrastructure projects executed across Abuja are ready for commissioning, describing them as tangible evidence of the President’s commitment to delivering democratic dividends.

Speaking on Thursday after inspecting key projects across the FCT, Wike said the projects reflect the administration’s determination to transform both the city centre and satellite towns through massive investments in infrastructure.

“Governance is about delivering results, and these projects are clear evidence of President Tinubu’s commitment to improving the lives of Nigerians. All the projects we inspected are 100 per cent ready for commissioning,” the minister stated.

The projects inspected include the Jahi-Gwarimpa interchange, the Airport Expressway to Kuje Road, Kuje to Gwagwalada road, the Outer Southern Expressway main carriageways and the aesthetic redesign of the Abuja City Gate.

Wike expressed satisfaction with the quality of works delivered by contractors, noting that residents would continue to reap the benefits of improved transportation and connectivity.

He particularly highlighted the impact of the Airport -Kuje Road and the Kuje to Gwagwalada road, saying they have significantly reduced travel time between the city centre and satellite communities.

“You can now drive from the city to Kuje in less than 25 minutes. This is what governance should be about making life easier for the people and ensuring that development reaches every part of the territory,” he said.

The minister also praised the transformation of the Abuja City Gate, describing it as one of the signature projects that would reinforce Abuja’s image as a world-class capital city.

“We are very happy, particularly with the City Gate. Anyone coming into Abuja will immediately appreciate the beauty and identity of the capital city. It is a landmark project that showcases the ongoing transformation of the FCT,” he added.

According to Wike, the commissioning exercise is expected to commence next week, with the sequence of events subject to final approval by the Presidency.

He disclosed that the Outer Southern Expressway (OSEX) extension and the Airport Road-Kuje Road are among the projects proposed for early commissioning, while other projects will be inaugurated by senior government officials representing the President.

“It is a comprehensive programme and Mr. President may not be able to personally commission all the projects. The Vice President, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, the First Lady and other senior officials will participate in the exercise,” he said.

The minister further revealed plans for the flag-off of additional road projects, including the Tunga Madaki-Zuba Road and other strategic routes being executed by CCECC, indicating that the FCT Administration was sustaining its aggressive infrastructure drive.

Wike called on the media to help showcase the achievements of the Tinubu administration in the FCT, stressing that the scale of development demonstrates the President’s resolve to modernise the nation’s capital.

“You have seen the transformation yourselves. The media should help tell the story of what is happening in Abuja. These projects are changing both the city centre and the satellite towns, and residents are already beginning to feel the impact,” he said.

The minister commended the contractors for adhering to project timelines and delivering quality infrastructure, expressing confidence that the completed projects would further boost economic activities and improve the quality of life for residents of the Federal Capital Territory.

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The Senate has endorsed for third reading a bill seeking the establishment of the National Agency for Malaria Elimination, aimed at coordinating efforts to prevent, control, and eventually eradicate malaria in Nigeria.

The bill, sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko (Delta North), was passed following the consideration and adoption of a report by the Senate Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary), chaired by Senator Ipalibo Harry Banigo (Rivers West).

According to the committee, the proposed agency will coordinate national malaria elimination programmes and shift the country’s response from treatment-focused interventions to prevention and eradication strategies.

The agency is also expected to establish zonal and state offices to drive implementation through a framework anchored on law, science and accountability.

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, described the legislation as a landmark step in the fight against malaria, noting that the disease remains one of Nigeria’s most common health challenges.

Speaking with senate correspondents after the passage, Nwoko expressed confidence that malaria elimination in Nigeria is both practical and achievable.

He said the proposed agency would deploy strategies such as effective waste management, environmental fumigation and vaccine research to combat the disease, adding that its establishment could position Nigeria as the first malaria-free country in Africa.

MalariaTreatment For Newborns

Last month, the World Health Organisation announced that it had given prequalification approval to a malaria treatment for newborns and infants for the first time.

Artemether-lumefantrine is the first antimalarial formulation designed specifically for the youngest victims of the mosquito-borne disease.

It said that the prequalification designation indicated that the medicine met international standards of quality, safety and efficacy.

Before the prequalification approval, infants have been treated with formulations intended for older children — carrying a greater risk of dosage errors, side effects and toxicity.

“For centuries, malaria has stolen children from their parents, and health, wealth and hope from communities,” said WHO’s chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

“But today, the story is changing. New vaccines, diagnostic tests, next-generation mosquito nets and effective medicines, including those adapted for the youngest, are helping to turn the tide.

“Ending malaria in our lifetime is no longer a dream — it is a real possibility, but only with sustained political and financial commitment. Now we can. Now we must,” he added.

In 2024, there were an estimated 282 million malaria cases and 610,000 deaths in 80 countries, according to the WHO, and Africa accounts for 95 per cent of cases and deaths, with children under five accounting for three-quarters of those deaths.

The UN health agency says progress against malaria is being hampered by drug resistance, insecticide resistance, diagnostic failure and sharp reductions in foreign aid spending.

Globally, 70 per cent of countries do not have regulatory systems that are robust enough to oversee medicines, vaccines, tests and medical devices.

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A board-certified internal medicine physician, Dr. Anthea Nwandu, has called for Justice to be served in the case involving renowned writer Chimamanda Adichie, whose son was said to have died following alleged negligence by a hospital.

Nwandu stated this during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Thursday.

“The expectation is that the inquest proceeds as planned. We just want to see justice served, due process followed. We want to not have to deal with more and more delays by Euracare’s counsel.

“The delays are just like driving a nail in the wound. It’s just painful, so we expect justice to be served. We expect the legal process to proceed as planned without further delays,” she said on the breakfast show.

We were told that it has been adjourned till October. This is a proceeding that was supposed to have been started back in April, May, and now June; more and more delays now it has been postponed until October, so we just expect that Justice is served and the legal process is followed,” the physician said while speaking on the adjournment of the case.

According to her, the families are devastated.

“As you can well imagine, the families are continuing to be devastated. It’s an unimaginable experience, and they are not doing well; having this case drawn through public scrutiny like this is just extremely painful, honestly.

“Even getting to the end of the case will not bring Nkanu back, but to some degree it’s important for us to get answers, to understand why this happened and get justice done.

This drawn-out proceeding is not helping at all, and so it’s just so painful,” Nwandu added.

Her remarks come after Adichie lost her son on January 7, 2026, at Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital.

An inquest into Nkanu Nnamdi Esege’s death commenced on February 25,2026.

However, in May, the coroner sitting at the JIC Taylor Courthouse, Lagos Island, suspended the hearing into the cause of 21-month-old Nkanu’s death, pending further directives from the chief coroner, Justice Mojisola Dada.

On Wednesday, the coroner sitting at the JIC Taylor Courthouse, Lagos Island, further adjourned the case to October 8,2026.

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